Turbine pressure attenuation plenum chambers

ABSTRACT

A turbine having a plurality of pressure attenuation plenum chambers. These chambers are located adjacent the vanes of a turbine thereby relieving the excess pressure by distributing it through a series of apertures in the plenum chamber walls.

United States Patent 1191 Tetrault Feb. 12, 1974 [54] TURBINE PRESSUREATTENUATION 2,225,398 12/1940 Hamblin 415/119 PLENUM CHAMBERS 2,674,8454/1954 Pouchot 415/D1G. 1 2,682,363 6/1954 Lombard el al. 415/D1G. l[75] lnventor: Jose h A. T r l East Hartford, 2,720,356 1'0 1955 Erwin415 144 Conn. 2,848,156 8/1958 Oppenheimer 415/144 3,303,997 2/1967Welch et al, 415/144 [731] Ass1gnee: The United States of America as3,398,881 8H9 Greenberg m a! 5/144 represented y the secreml'y the3,690,786 9/1972 Silvestri 415/144 Air Force, Washington, DC. 22 F1 d J7 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 une 905,262 9/1962 GreatBritain... 415/144 [21] Appl. No.: 260,645

. Primary ExaminerfHenry F. Raduazo [52] US. Cl. 415/119, 415/144,415/219 R [51] Int. Cl. FOln- 27/02, F04d 29/68 57 ABSTRACT [58) Fieldof Search... 415/144, DIG. 1, 219 R, 119,

4]5/2|9 A turbme havmg a plurahty of pressure attenuanon plenumchambers. These chambers are located adja- [56] References Cited centthe vanes of a turbine thereby relieving the ex- UNITED STATES PATENTScess pressure by distrlbutmg it through a senes of upertures 1n theplenum chamber walls. 3,572,960 3/1971 McBride 415/1 19 2,252,256 8/1941Harris 415/119 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure TURBINE PRESSUREATTENUATIONPLENUM CHAMBERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesgenerally to turbines and, more particularly to plenum chambers locatedwithin the turbine to eliminate pressure distortion.

A conventional gas turbine engine generally comprises of a compressor, acombustion products generation means, a turbine wheel, a duct connectingthese elements and a shroud surrounding the turbine wheel. In this typeof gas turbine engine pressurized air is supplied to the combustor andsupports combustion of fuel to generate an annular hot gas stream. Thishot gas stream, generally speaking, then drives a turbine which powers acompressor for pressurizing the air delivered to the combustor. The hotgas stream may then power a second turbine or be discharged from anozzle to obtain an energy output from the engine.

It is well known that the efficiency of such a gas turbine engine isrelated to the operating temperature of the turbine and that theefficiency may be raised by increasing the operating temperature. Afurther consideration in the efficiency of such a turbine is theelimination of a pressure build up within the turbine which causesdistortion thereof. With regard to the operating temperature much timeand energy has been expended in the construction of complex coolingsystems for the turbine itself. However, little consideration has beengiven to the elimination of the pressure build up within the turbineswhich also constitutes an essential factor in turbine efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The turbine of this invention utilizes plenumchambers adjacent the turbine wheel in order to overcome the problemsencountered heretofore by reducing the excess pressure within theturbine.

Chambers have been constructed within the turbine having a plurality ofstrategically located apertures therein in order to relieve this excesspressure build up. With the plenum chambers located adjacent the turbinewheel the circumferential pressure distortion is greatly reduced and thegas path air then breathes" to a common pressure.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide turbine pressureattenuation plenum chambers which substantially reduce the pressuredistortion within a turbine.

It is another object of this invention to provide turbine pressureattenuation plenum chambers which utilize conventional, currentlyavailable components which lend themselves to standard mass producingmanufacturing techniques.

For a better understanding of this invention, together with other andfurther objects thereof, reference is made to the following descriptiontaken in connecting 2 with the accompanying drawing and its scope willbe brought out in the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The only FIGURE of this drawing is a sideelevational view shown partly in cross-section of the turbine pressureattenuation plenum chambers of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to theonly FIGURE of the drawing which represents a side elevation view of theturbine pressure attenuation plenum chambers 10 of this invention. Theturbine 12 generally comprises of an air compressor, combustion productsgeneration means, at least one turbine wheel having a plurality ofblades 14 and stationary vanes 15, a duct connecting these elements anda rotating hub 16 surrounding blades 14 and vanes 15 of turbine 12.

Hub 16 supports and rotates with turbine blades 14. Plenum chambers 20and 22 are located opposite one another adjacent stationary vane 15 withplenum chamber 20 located above vanes 15, while the other chamber 22 isapproximately at the midpoint thereof. Each plenum chamber 20 and 22 istriangular in configuration and has strategically placed apertures 24therein. Upper chamber 20 having three such apertures, with lowerchamber 22 having two such apertures 24. It is critical that apertures24 be positioned adjacent vanes 15 as shown in the FIGURE in order tolower the circumferential pressure distortion and provide a gas pathwithin turbine 12. By eliminating this excess pressure, turbineefficiency is greatly increased.

Although this invention has been described with reference to aparticular embodiment, it will be understood to those skilled in the artthat this invention is capable of a variety of alternate embodimentswithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a turbine having a plurality of blades and vanes and a shroudsurrounding said blades and vanes, the improvement therein comprising ameans defining first and second plenum chambers located adjacent saidvanes for reducing circumferential pressure distortion of said turbine,said first plenum chamber positioned above said vanes, said secondplenum chamber positioned at substantially the midpoint of said vanes,said first plenum chamber having a plurality of apertures therein andsaid second plenum chamber having a pair of apertures therein whereinsaid apertures in said first plenum chamber oppose said apertures insaid second plenum chamber.

2. In a turbine as defined in claim 1 wherein there are three aperturesin said first plenum chamber.

3. In a turbine as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said plenumchambers are of a triangular configuration.

1. In a turbine having a plurality of blades and vanes and a shroudsurrounding said blades and vanes, the improvement therein comprising ameans defining first and second plenum chambers located adjacent saidvanes for reducing circumferential pressure distortion of said turbine,said first plenum chamber positioned above said vanes, said secondplenum chamber positioned at substantially the midpoint of said vanes,said first plenum chamber having a plurality of apertures therein andsaid second plenum chamber having a pair of apertures therein whereinsaid apertures in said first plenum chamber oppose said apertures insaid second plenum chamber.
 2. In a turbine as defined in claim 1wherein there are three apertures in said first plenum chamber.
 3. In aturbine as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said plenum chambers areof a triangular configuration.